Wilson Air Center hosts 13th annual POPA convention

Thirty-five aircraft visited for a long weekend of classes, education, demonstrations and static displays. The world-renowned Memphis Peabody Hotel was the convention headquarters.

Craig Fuller, AOPA president, was the keynote speaker, delivering a talk on the need and importance of general aviation. Other sessions included a tour of Memphis Air Route Traffic Control Center, dealing with the new WAAS environment, optimizing PT-6 engine performance and a special round table discussion with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Air Services Branch. Avionics sessions included Garmin 530/430, using the Honeywell Apex System, Nexrad Radar, RDR2000 and flying the new PC-12NG. Representatives from Pilatus presented their annual business update and year in review. Simcom Training Centers offered a Cockpit Companion Course and Alpha Aviation conducted a one-day ground school that covered the PC-12 systems. Alpha operates 34 PC-12 aircraft with more than 105,000 total hours in type.

Bob Wilson, president and founder of Wilson Air Center and a long- time POPA member and past board member states, “This is a special time to exchange technical and operational requirements while visiting with owners, friends and pilots of the great PC-12.” Wilson has owned a PC-12 for more than 12 years.